


Blooming day.

by heyitsmiyako



Category: VICTON (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hockey, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-05-13 17:31:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14753235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyitsmiyako/pseuds/heyitsmiyako
Summary: “I just wanted to smoke.” [. . .]“Right in front of this adorable view, uh?”, he heard Sejun ask, and saw one of his pale fingers point to the gym glasswall. Seungsik was still there. With Chan. [. . .]“Shut up, clown.”Sejun snorted, rolling his eyes. “Please. You're in love with someone you pretend to hate andI'mthe clown?”





	1. He wanted them to be friends.

**Author's Note:**

> This was ‘lightly’ inspired by this → https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=681919795339062&set=a.115736015290779.1073741828.100005631431605&type=3&theater.  
> And yes, that's my personal facebook. You can add me if you want, but I mostly post in Italian lmfao. So better find me on twitter → @checadoapezzi.  
> As you probably already understood, English isn't my first language — so, please, let me know if there are any mistakes and which way I can improve my writing! This is my first kpop fanfiction and Victon is a group I really, deeply care about... So be gentle with me, please. ♡

Heo Chan was good at many, many things. Except skating.

Seungsik followed his graceless figure across the ice rink, frowning at how seriously bad that whole situation was. Actually, way worse than he expected.

He knew that with Ten's temporary departure from the team they would have to take in a newbie, and when Chan spontaneously offered to try and help them, he didn't expect him to be this _bad_. Even without knowing him that much, he knew he had many talents: acting, modeling, he even had a really good singing voice... But most of all, he liked to dance. And he was really, really good at it.

So, where did all the composure and balance he had when on stage fucking go? Seungsik asked that question silently, to himself, while watching Chan slip on the ice of the field for the nth time. This wasn't good.

“This isn't good.”

“I know, r—” Wait. What?

Seungsik's response halted mid–way when he realized — unfortunately, a little too late — who he was talking to. Under Han Seungwoo's amused gaze, he immediately closed his mouth and glared at him.

“What are you doing here?”, he asked, averting his eyes from the stupid _beautiful_ face his ‘enemy’ had.

He saw Hanse watching them from his usual spot near the goal: he was internally debating on whether or not to intervene, which wasn't at all weird, all things considered. Even if he was most of the times only interested in music and his spot as the goalkeeper, he truly deeply cared about the team and the well–being of its components. Also Subin, who was still helping Chan get up from his umpteenth fall on the ice, turned his head to stare at Seungwoo, curious of what the Hell he was up to that time.

“This is our gym too, remember?” Seungwoo stated, and Seungsik had to stop himself from grumbling in disapproval. It was their gym, too, indeed. “We share it, thanks to your lovely principal.”

Seungsik's reply was cut off short by Seungwoo again, who finally showed his true aggressive self. “So get out of here, there's nothing you can do about _him_ anyway. Let the good ones,”, he stopped, motioning to two of his approaching teammates. “practice.”

“I thought you didn't need things like that, since you're already so good you ‘could win the Stanley Cup’ if you wanted.”

Sejun whistled and Byungchan burst out laughing, before saying: “I'm sorry, captain, but that imitation was on point.”

Seungwoo clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Maybe, if you asked nicely, I seriously would have considered letting you stay,”, he observed, while Seungsik bit his tongue in order not to say something along the lines of ‘you deserve nothing nice’. That wouldn't have been entirely true, just pretty mean. And although he didn't stand the guy, Seungsik took pride in always being more mature than him — if not anagraphically, at least mentally speaking. And that wouldn't change.

“Don't worry, we were going anyways.” Seungsik only said, when he realized Seungwoo wasn't about to add anything else. He motioned for his teammates still on the field and they instantly caught up with him. “Have fun, and be careful not to break anything. It would be such a shame if you got injured, too.”

Seungsik could have waited for his next reply — a part of him also wished he did, while the other knew he had to go or else he'd end up spending the rest of the day bickering with his nemesis. That would have been such a waste of his time.

So he just walked away, smiling in response to Sejun's: “Bye, Sikie–hyung!”. He was almost out of the gym when Seungwoo's voice reached his ears again, sadly.

“I would be so much better than all of you combined even if I was missing a leg, so don't worry about me getting injured too much, _Sikie_!”

Hanse growled.

  


“He did _what_?”

Yoonoh wasn't even done talking when Dongyoung started caressing his arm, suddenly, in a silent reminder not to make a scene in the middle of the school cafeteria. He was mad because of Seungwoo. But they all were.

“Calm down, baby,”, he said, with the softest voice, looking briefly at his boyfriend's eyes before going back to Seungsik's face. “This can't go on.”

The captain just nodded and then left out a long sigh. “I know,”, they all knew, “but Seungwoo's right, there's nothing we can do about it.”

“Are you on his side, now?” Subin asked, just as shocked as Seungsik suddenly became when he heard that question.

“ _What_? No!”, he almost shouted, wide–eyed. “I'm just stating facts, sadly.”

They all knew that, too. As much as they hated that situation, there was absolutely nothing they could do about it. It was what it was... And they just had to try and coexist with Seungwoo and the rest of his team. Their arch enemies. Lovely, right?

Their schools had been rivals since forever and hockey always was their favourite mean to decide which one was ‘the best’. Championships could get really rough, sometimes, too... But as long as they had to see each other for matches only, it was bearable. On Seungsik's second to last year of high school, though, everything changed. For the worse, of course.

Seungwoo's school was right next to his. He saw him and his teammates every single morning and believed there would never be something better than that for ruining his days. He was wrong, obviously. Since Seungwoo's school was really old and basically falling apart in some points, the gym — place in which a lot of students, including the treasured hockey team, used to spend most of their time — had been shut down months prior, just to prevent any incidents. And while professionals were working to fix it, both principals had decided to ‘go back to the status quo’. Because nothing and no one could ever stop hockey.

Initially, their schools were in fact united. And at peace. With time, though, it was decided they would split and become two different institutes. However, one tunnel connecting the two was never closed. Opening a door in the middle of Seungsik's school locker rooms hallway was enough to find themselves in Seungwoo's institute — and viceversa. But nobody ever tried that, of course, since seeing each other at matches was already more than enough. Until now, at least.

“Guys, relax.” Dongyoung's voice put a stop to Seungsik's thoughts and revived their table, fallen into a heavy silence after his weird exchange with Subin. “We can't let Seungwoo's shit get to us like this.”

“I say we kick his ass.” Yoonoh didn't understand. Or, even more probably, he just didn't want to.

Hanse was already more than ready to agree with him — those two always were the most inclined to fights, among all of them — when Dongyoung's glare shut up both him and his boyfriend. Seungsik would have been lost without him.

“No,”, he said anyway, looking at the two '97 liner straight in the eyes. He wanted to make sure they were actually listening to him and were going to obey to whatever he said as captain. “We can't afford another injured player. It's gonna be tough already without Ten. I need the rest of you to be in perfect form. So no fights.”

“Not even verbal ones?” Seungsik didn't know — and he didn't want to, either — if Hanse was just joking or not, but he laughed anyway while shaking his head. They all did, but the euphoria soon disappeared at the thought of Ten. He always had been — and still was, even now that he was injured — one of their best players, and his absence felt heavier than ever, onto his team's shoulders.

Ten had to take a leave because of his knee. After spending years and years of his early adolescence struggling with it, the situation came to a point in which the only solution to the problem — which had become even more serious, with time — would be surgery. And that meant absolutely no hockey. Until he had completely recovered — which apparently he was doing just fine, even if on his own since he wasn't going to school either — Ten could not even _think_ about it. Let alone go to the gym, even if just to see what they did without him on the ice rink and be kinda there for them.

“What are we gonna do about him?” That time, it was Yoonoh's turn to distract Seungsik from his thoughts. And even though he wished he did that in a gentler way — without referring to Chan with such ‘haughtiness’, just because he was an unexperienced newbie — he couldn't help but feel somewhat grateful towards him. Seungsik could swear always overthinking everything was going to kill him, some day.

Almost everyone was still shooting death glares to Yoonoh — silently scolding him for being so involountarily numb — but Seungsik didn't pay many attention to that as he did to Chan. He looked so embarassed, like he really believed he was just another nuisance.

“I'll work with him. You're gonna need a lot of extra practice, but you can definitely do it.” Seungsik said, looking at him straight in the eyes and hoping Chan would do the same. He was trying his best to console him, because he didn't want him to be sad too. The mood already wasn't the best they could hope for, better try to not complicate things even more. “Are you still up for it?”

Chan's eyes lit up — even if just a tiny bit — as soon as he heard Seungsik's last question. Everybody saw him nod like everything depended on it. He was really convinced. Chan wanted to do that for them. “Of course!”, he verbally confirmed too, “I want to help if I can.”

  


“Bonjour, Van Gogh.”

Seungsik perfectly knew who _that_ voice belonged to. It was impossible to mistake: only one person in the whole universe was so skilled at making people — and Seungsik especially, since he was his favourite target — always feel so mocked, no matter what he was saying. He didn't even need to see Seungwoo's face to know it was him who just greeted him.

So: “Will you ever leave me alone?”, he just asked, not even bothering to turn around and gift Seungwoo with one of his best disappointed looks.

He could feel him at his back and he just spared his shadow a quick glance, before fixing his eyes again on the notebook he was doodling on. Since Seungsik was still a little bit too early for his extra practice with Chan, he decided he would make good use of that spare time by working on his art project. Initially, it seemed like a good idea, since he was all alone — and prone to really concentrate on his assignment — and the school yard was so silent and ispiring.

“You'd miss me, if I did.” But of course Seungwoo had to come and ruin everything. As always.

“I wasn't really asking, you know.” Seungsik explained, even if he knew it was pretty useless. Seungwoo only understood what he wanted to.

“Mine wasn't an answer, either.” _See?_ “I was just telling the truth.”

Seungsik snorted, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, sure.”

Silence fell after his sentence and, as minutes passed, Seungsik could feel himself grow more and more tense. He didn't like that situation: the thought of Seungwoo behind him — his gaze burning his exposed neck — ready to attack when he least expected it.

“I like it.” One of Seungwoo's hands suddenly came into his line of vision, his long fingers gently grazing the drawing he was working on just for a brief moment, before he retracted them. “You're good. Maybe you should quit hockey and become a full time illustrator?”

Seungsik knew perfectly well how stupid he had been, and yet he couldn't stop himself from believing — even if just for the briefest of moments — Seungwoo was genuinely complimenting him. That, put aside their childish hatred, he was still able to aknowledge how good Seungsik was at drawing — and how much he enjoyed it, too.

“Oh,”, he said, biting his bottom lip, “wouldn't you like that.”

Seungwoo laughed, then gave his shoulder a little shove. Seungsik almost flinched under his touch. “Don't joke.” He didn't like that ‘closeness’ at all. “I'd _love_ that.”

But: “That's why I'll never leave,”, he just said, trying to smile as if nothing happened, while he stood up and confronted Seungwoo for the first time ever, that day. “Knowing I make you uncomfortable, somehow, gives me immense joy.”

“You'd be surprised.”

Even if he really didn't want to, Seungsik frowned. “Too bad I don't really care,”, he said, hoping his lie wasn't too evident. He did, in fact, care. He wanted to know what Seungwoo actually meant with his last statement _so bad_. But his pride was stronger than his curiosity, so he just surpassed his enemy — making sure to ‘accidentally’ bump into his shoulder. “See you. Never again, hopefully.”

Seungwoo's voice reached his ears again when he was one step away from the gym door. His new safe place. “Where are you going, princess?”

Seungsik didn't even turn around. “I have a rookie to train. Some of us actually _work_ in order to win.”

  


“What the fuck.”

Seungwoo almost jumped. “Ssh,”, he reprimanded, turning his head to stare at the newcomer. Lim Sejun, his best friend. And co–captain. “I just wanted to smoke.”

There was more to it, actually, but Seungwoo didn't want to explain — to expose himself too much — so he just went with that. He wasn't lying, anyway. He really just wanted to smoke and have someone with him. That's why, as soon as Seungsik left, he called Sejun. He wasn't sure he'd come, honestly, since that encounter was so sudden and uncalled for... But, something like thirty minutes later, Sejun really showed up. Scaring the shit out of him, too.

“Right in front of this adorable view, uh?”, he heard Sejun ask, and saw one of his pale fingers point to the gym glasswall. Seungsik was still there. With Chan. And Seungwoo instantly regretted calling him.

“Shut up, clown.”

Sejun snorted, rolling his eyes. “Please. You're in love with someone you pretend to hate and _I'm_ the clown?”

As soon as he heard that question, Seungwoo felt the urge to divert his eyes from Seungsik's figure — on which they'd been stuck for an embarassingly long time, now — to stare at Sejun, with what he hoped was a disgusted enough look. “I do hate him, excuse you,”, he pointed out, almost offended.

“He's literally an angel.”

“Exactly.” Seungwoo went back to look at what was happening inside the gym, curious to see which new ways of failing Chan had just invented. “He's so stupid, I can't stand him. He's sacrificing his own free time for that loser, even if he perfectly knows he'll never be able to teach him everything he needs to know in time for next match.”

Sejun grumbled something under his breath that Seungwoo couldn't quite catch, before he deprived him of what was left of his cigarette. He took a single drag, before giving it back and speaking again. “He's still trying, and that's something you should admire and respect. I know you already do, deep down, even if you'd never admit it.”

“Whose side are you on? Where's Byungchan? He's the only loyal friend I have, apparently.”

“I'm on my side.” Sejun declared, trying his best not to laugh at Seungwoo's pathetic attempt to divert his attention. He would seriously never admit just how much he ‘envied’ his enemy.

“Your side is my side.”

“Uh, no. My side is _my_ side.” As much as he loved Seungwoo and the rest of the team, Sejun would always put himself — and his beliefs — first. But judging from the captain's confused frown, that condition wasn't so easy to understand. So it was time for Sejun to change the topic. “Byungchanie is napping. He wasn't feeling too well, this morning.”

Seungwoo was even more easily distracted. “Should I be surprised?”

“No, you shouldn't.” Sejun conceded, laughing lightly at the thought of just how frail his boyfriend was. Literally everything could make him sick. “What about the others, though?”

Seungwoo just hummed, before throwing away his consummed cigarette. “Taeil is working.” Oh, right. The animal shop. His dream place. “But I don't know where everybody else is.”

“That's okay.” Sejun shrugged. “It's not like we had practice, today, right?”

 _I wish we did_.

Seungwoo didn't say it out loud, but he couldn't stop himself from thinking just that. He truly, madly, deeply envied Seungsik's team and the bond they had. There, he said it. Kind of.

They didn't need practice to be together, they genuinely enjoyed each other's presence aside from team duty. Seungwoo wished he had something even remotely similar with his teammates. He wished they could be so much more, to him, than just that. And viceversa.

He wanted them to be friends.


	2. Those moments were pure bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick summary: Seungwoo is whipped and — basically — everyone knows it.

“Are you done checking me out?”

Seungsik almost jumped, but his eyes remained fixated on Seungwoo's figure. Shared practices were the worst.

Since both teams had a match on the same day and deserved — but most of all needed — a fair amount of practice each, their principals decided to let them use the gym simultaneously. The ice rink was split in half and they just had to try and survive, without giving in to the urge of killing each other at every given chance. Easier said than done.

“I'm not, checking you out.”

Seungwoo looked almost offended. “Why wouldn't you, though? I'm so hot.”

“The only hot you are is the one in which the h stands for _h_ ard to love, the o for _o_ bnoxious and the t for _t_ errible.” One of Seungwoo's teammates — Moon Taeil, the pet enthusiast — stopped playing just to burst out laughing. Seungsik saw him covering his red face and kinda felt like laughing, too. He was, as weird as it may sound, having fun. But that didn't last long. “I'm mad at you. Y'all keep invading our side of the court.”

“Champions need space.” Seungwoo just shrugged, like it was nothing.

“ _Everyone_ needs space. And we don't have it, thanks to your school being a joke.”

Hanse shouted: “Just like its students!”, and other people from Seungsik's team laughed. Their enemies weren't so amused, though. Especially Seungwoo.

“Your newbie does nothing other than miss and throw the disk wherever. He hit Yuta's feet three times already,”, he stated, voice and eyes colder than ever.

Almost nobody paid attention to Seungwoo's next question — “So, who's the joke?” — because, as soon as he heard his name, Yuta stepped in. “If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to catch my attention, baby.”

He was the flirtiest little fucker in town, so no one flinched at the wink he dedicated to Chan. Not even the person concerned with his antics.

Seungwoo shrugged again, deciding to just ignore the weird exchange they just had. “I'd say we're fair.”

“I'd say you leave.”

“Why don't _you_ leave?” Seungwoo proposed, laughing lightly. He was enjoying all that. Bastard.

Seungsik wasn't about to let him win again. But before he could even breathe, Johnny — another one of Seungwoo's teammates — interrupted him.

“Guys, calm down. Why don't we settle this with a match?”

Seungsik just glared at him, hoping that would be enough to make him talk more and explain what exactly he meant by that. But Johnny didn't.

“Team that wins gets to stay,”, said Taeyong instead.

The whole gym fell silent and Seungsik tried weighing the pros and cons of that ‘impromptu match’ before deciding if they wanted to participate or not. He couldn't think of anything, though — especially after Seungwoo moved yet another step in his direction, ending so close to him that just lowering his head a bit would have been enough for their lips to touch. Seungsik's mind went completely blank.

“So.” Seungwoo almost whispered and it looked like — only then — he noticed just how _close_ they were. His gaze went to Seungsik's lips, and even when he talked next, he was still staring at them. Oh, no. “What do you think, Captain?”

Seungsik's mouth hung open maybe a little too long. But before it was too late to be remembered for something else than the stupid one who couldn't talk, he decided to move another step in Seungwoo's direction — as if they weren't already so much more closer than both of them would have liked — and tried replying to his question, finally.

But Dongyoung stopped him.

Seungsik felt some of his fingers grip one of his arms and let his co–captain drag him away from Seungwoo. “Maybe we should just wrap things up for today,”, he observed, while Seungsik slowly regained ‘conscience’. Being so close to Seungwoo really wasn't good for his brain. “Subin has to study, too.”

Oh, right. Subin. And the geography class he was almost flunking.

“Fine, let's go.” Seungsik agreed, ashamed of the fact he had been so distracted by his bickering with Seungwoo he almost forgot about what he had promised to his maknae. _We're gonna keep today's practice as short as possible, so that we'll have enough time to help you study, too_. His fists clenched and he looked at Seungwoo again, even angrier than before. “Break a leg.”

Literally. Please.

  


Loud rap music was blasting through the locker room's walls and while Hanse vehemently jammed to it, Dongyoung was already changing outfit for his next class. As for the rest of the team... All of them were sprawled messily on the dusty floor, limbs all intertwined in one of their usual sleepy cuddle piles. Even Chan, who was new to them and all their traditions, quickly adjusted to it and seemed to like snuggling a lot more than he himself would have ever expected.

Seungsik briefly looked at him, tiredly browsing his phone against Subin's chest, and then diverted his attention to the maknae himself. Subin had his head on Seungsik's shoulder and the captain often left quick little pecks between his hair, which distracted him from Yoonoh.

“Sikie–hyung,”, he whined, moving his head on Seungsik's lap so that he could look at him straight in the eyes and show him his best pout. “pet me, too.”

Seungsik laughed lightly, but promptly obeyed and started carding his fingers through Yoonoh's hair. That made him instantly happy and Seungsik finally felt at peace. Subin wasn't angry at him, their enemies were out of his sight, his team loved him... Those moments were pure bliss. Or, to be more specific, they were until Dongyoung decided to start indirectly talking about Seungwoo.

“I'm sorry I intervened, today,”, he said, sounding really sad, too. That wasn't right. “I should have let you decide if you wanted to have that match or not. _You're_ the captain, after all.”

“Dodo, no.” Seungsik tried reassuring him, hoping it would be enough to show just how honest he was about all that. “You made the right call, as always. Seungwoo was getting to me again.”

He wanted to tell Dongyoung he was the only one able to talk some sense into him — as always — and sincerely thank him for how essential he was, not only as a friend but also as a co–captain. Yoonoh involuntarily interrupted him, though, and the only emotion Seungsik felt after he was done talking was pettiness.

“I swear to God he was checking you out at some point.”

“And he said _I_ was checking him out? Ridicolous.”

Hanse snorted, lowering the music's volume just a bit before talking to his captain. “Believe me, he wants you to.”

“He wants me to check him out?” Seungsik asked, arching his eyebrows in genuin confusion. And disgust, possibly.

“He wants you to do _everything_ to him,”, observed Yoonoh, laughing. They all seemed to find that situation incredibly funny...

“Too bad the only thing I want to do is smash his head against a wall.”

“Kinky!”, exclaimed Subin, fidgeting against his shoulder and making Chan move as well. “I didn't know you could be this violent, Sikie–hyung.”

Hanse started nodding to himself, like he suddenly understood the whole meaning of life. “Now I get why Seungwoo is interested.”

“In making my life a living Hell? He sure is.” Seungsik wanted to say something along those lines, but Yoonoh anticipated him again.

“Well, he looks like a masochist,”, he observed, with a toughtful tone they almost never heard him use.

Seungsik grumbled. “Can we stop talking about Seungwoo's kinks, please?”

“Shall we talk about yours, then?”

“I only have one.” Seungsik's voice came out before he could realize it and filter what he was gonna say before actually saying it out loud. He didn't like the turn that debate had suddenly taken: it could become very, very dangerous. And it already was weird as fuck.

“What is it?”, asked Chan anyway, moving away from Subin's chest to stare at Seungsik with curiosity–filled eyes.

Seungsik just let out a defeated sigh. “Seungwoo not being part of my life.”

Hanse started laughing like a hyena and almost everyone followed him. Seungsik thought that would be enough to distract them and change the topic for good, but Yoonoh apparently wasn't on his same wavelenght.

“C'mon, I bet you find him attractive too,”, he observed, while Seungsik tried not to turn as red as Hanse's hair. “ _I_ do.”

“He's an asshole.”

Hanse shrugged. “A good looking one. And he very much'd like to have sex with you. So.”

“Maybe it could help you relieve stress. Angry fucks are always the best, for me.”

Seungsik absolutely didn't want to know that. Sure, he considered all his teammates as brothers from other mothers, basically... But there were certain boundaries their friendship didn't have to cross. And sex life was one of these.

Dongyoung apparently agreed, because — even before Seungsik could try to say something — he searched for his boyfriend's eyes, just to glare at him. “If you don't stop talking about Seungwoo you're getting one tonight.”

Everybody else would have been terrified, since it wasn't a mistery just how dangerous Dongyoung could get when he was angry. Not Yoonoh, though. On the contrary, he looked almost ecstatic to see him like that. “Baby, you're tempting me,”, he said, biting his bottom lip.

Dongyoung rolled his eyes and disappeared into the bathroom again, while Seungsik tried shooing away the embarassment caused by his two best friends shamelessly flirting in front of all of them by talking again.

“Guys. Seungwoo's not even gay.”

Hanse clicked his tongue, finally turning his music off as he was ready to go. “Maybe not in general, but he's sure as Hell gay for you.”

Yeah, right.

  


As a captain, Seungsik was a pro at multitasking — having to pay attention to multiple things all at once, both during games and training. So, having to deal with Chan's extra practice and Subin's geography tutoring at the same time should have been easy peasy lemon squeezy, for him. Except Seungwoo was there too. Ready to ruin everything, as always.

“Do you have a crush on me?” Seungsik suddenly confronted him, momentarily averting his gaze from Chan just to stare at their enemies' team captain.

Seungwoo visibly jumped, even if he tried to let his astonishment stay as subtle as possible. He wasn't expecting that question at all.

He snorted, causing some of his long hair to move away from his eyes before he stepped closer to Seungsik. “Who could ever have a crush on you?”, he asked, under Subin's scrutinizing gaze.

As soon as they started talking, the maknae stopped reading from his geography book and concentrated all his attention on their conversation. He knew perfectly well just how capable Seungsik was of dealing with his nemesis on his own, and would never intervene unless things got too out of hand. That didn't mean he wasn't going to supervision the situation, though.

In the silence that followed, Seungwoo realized almost none of his teammates would ever do anything like that, for him. Except Sejun and Byungchan, he couldn't even consider the rest of them as friends. Apart from hockey, they shared almost nothing.

“You're always orbiting around me, it's suspicious,”, said Seungsik, and he looked dead serious, too.

“Maybe I just want to annoy you.”

The biggest smile pulled Seungsik's plump lips upwards, before he started laughing and clapping like a seal. “You're doing a great job at that, congratulations!”

Seungwoo shrugged, feigning indifference. It wasn't like Kang Seungsik had the prettiest smile he had ever laid eyes on. It wasn't like he had wished, even if just for the briefest of moments, it wasn't all fake — that he could really make him laugh and have fun. Absolutely not. “At least one of us knows how to. Sorry to break it to you, but your newbie still plays very much like _a newbie_.”

Seungsik's laugh suddenly stopped. What a shame. “He's been here for less than a month. We don't perform miracles.”

“Oh, I see that,”, said Seungwoo, using his best mocking tone. “That's why I'm suggesting you just give up. You're waisting your time, here.”

Seungsik inspired some air and closed his eyes briefly, while pinching the bridge of his nose. It looked as if he was trying to calm down before speaking again. Knowing him, he was probably so close to snap... Seungwoo would have loved that. Even if he knew it would hardly ever happen, since it was so difficult for him to let go of his usual politeness and composedness.

“Listen, what do you want me to do? Withdraw from all matches without even trying? By now you should know me enough to imagine I'd never do anything like that,”, he finally talked again, his voice much more colder than Seungwoo thought he could be capable of. He was really determined to go on, even if he probably was well aware — more than anyone else — of just how difficult it was gonna be.

“I know.” Seungwoo nodded, putting both his hands in his pockets. “Your stubborness is kinda sexy.”

“ _Wha_ —”

“Heo Chan!” That sudden shriek interrupted Seungsik's question and everyone turned to stare at the entrance door, from which the voice — apparently — came.

Everyone, except Heo Chan himself. “God, no...”, he just exhaled, instantly catching Seungwoo's attention.

“Do you two know each other?”

Before Chan could reply, Seungsik whispered: “Jun?”, and Seungwoo felt even more confused than before.

“What are you doing here?” Chan finally talked to the newcomer, who seemed to be there just for him.

“What are _you_ doing here. You used to hate hockey.”

Seungsik raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms on his chest. He didn't seem too pleased to find that out...

Chan gulped. “I just wanna help. Team's missing a member.”

“Daewon told me.” Jun nodded, like it was natural.

And it looked like it really was. “Does he ever shut up?”

“Not when it comes to you. _My_ brother.” Seungwoo's mouth fell open. “I can't believe I had to find this out from him. Can't you call and talk to me, from time to time?”

“I'm sorry.” Chan lowered his head in embarassment and stayed like that for some time before he found enough courage to speak again. “But seriously, what are you here for?”

Heo Jun's attitude instantly changed and he was no longer upset. On the contrary, he started smiling so wide it was almost blinding. “I'm gonna transform you into a hockey prodigy in time for next match!”

  


“I don't know, man, this guy showed up from nowhere and offered to train him. They're brothers, apparently.”

Seungwoo was distracted. Again. It looked like talking and playing videogames at the same time was too much, for him, since he kept spacing out every single time his mouth opened. And Byungchan was always ready to take advantage of it.

Sejun exhaled lightly. Winning like that wasn't funny _at all_. “How can you not know Heo Jun? He was his team's ace, during his school years,”, he said, leaving — even if just momentarily — the game aside, too. Byungchan was so concentrated on trying to finally beat the two of them he didn't even notice he was basically playing by himself. “Don't you at least remember his name?”

Seungwoo shook his head, resting his back against the couch before he spoke again. “I don't really care. Even if he was the biggest hockey legend ever, the fact his little brother isn't as skilled wouldn't change. Believing he can seriously do something about that in just a weekend is wishful thinking.”

Kang Seungsik and the rest of his friends — including Heo Jun — were just too naive for their own good. And that was a fact.

“We'll see,”, observed Sejun, trying to get back to the game before Byungchan could actually win. “But imagine how funny it'd be if in the end Chan beats you, too.”

“Nobody could ever beat me.” Seungwoo snorted and his teammates immediately laughed along. It was always like that, with him. He basically considered himself a god among humans. They knew — Sejun especially, having met him years before than Byungchan — that was just a façade, most of the times, the only weird way he had of protecting himself.

“Except Seungsik.” Byungchan suddenly talked, turning his gaze away from the tv only to gift Seungwoo with one of his best mocking smiles. “These days especially, it almost looks like the only thing he has to do for you to give him the whole world is bat his pretty eyelashes at you.”

“I just like to mess around with him.” Seungwoo clarified, even if the only thing he truly wanted to point out was the fact Seungsik absolutely didn't need to use those kind of tricks in order to win. He was fully capable of doing just that with his talent only, and they all knew perfectly well he would never take advantage of anyone's feelings just for his own good. He wouldn't do anything like that not even to his arch enemy, and that was exactly what made him so much better than Seungwoo himself.

“Sure...”

“He gets all flustered every time.” Seungwoo interrupted Sejun before he could add anything else, thinking that telling them — almost — everything there was to know would have been less dangerous than his friends continuing to make not–so–wrong assumptions about what he _apparently_ felt for Seungsik. “Yesterday I told him I find his stubborness sexy and he blushed like crazy. It was delightful.”

“Wow.” Sejun's eyes became wider than Seungwoo had ever seen them and he also opened his mouth in shock. “He's interested in you, too, then?”

“Braver than the U.S. Marines,”, observed Byungchan, giggling.

“I'm _not_ interested.” And neither is Seungsik. Sadly.

Byungchan laughed again. “Whatever floats your boat, hyung.”

Seungwoo didn't know what to say anymore and decided to just stay silent, hoping his friends would get the memo and drop the subject for good. Luckily they did, but Seungwoo realized — just as Sejun gave him a look full of pity, before actually trying to get back to the videogame — that maybe his ‘lie’ wasn't as well hidden as he believed. And if his two best friends already knew what he truly felt, how long would it take for anyone else to put two and two together?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to whoever read, left kudos and comments! They're all very much appreciated. ♡  
> Please, continue sharing your thoughts with me and help me improve!


	3. How unfair.

Feelings were the weirdest thing, Seungwoo knew that. One day you were completely fine and — apparently — crushless and then, even before you could actually realize it, you just knew things weren't the same anymore. He still couldn't exactly pinpoint what caused his epiphany and how the realization he actually ‘felt something’ for Kang Seungsik — his, let's not forget about that, arch enemy — hit him. It probably was thanks to what Sejun and Byungchan said to him days earlier... He still didn't know. There were a lot of things Seungwoo didn't actually know.

But one thing he was a hundred percent sure of was he didn't deserve Seungsik. That, even if their relationship wasn't as bad and he actually reciprocated his feelings, Seungwoo still wouldn't be enough for him. Not even in a million centuries, not even in another universe. So what was the point of coming clean? Why not just keep denying everything not only to everyone else, but to himself especially? By now, putting on a mask and pretending he was someone else should have been second nature to him. And yet Seungwoo was struggling. So, so much.

As long as he didn't see Seungsik, he felt strong and invincible. He truly believed his certainties wouldn't crumble and acting like he didn't feel anything towards his enemy would be a piece of cake. But then Seungsik was there: all over him, by his side, in front of him... And Seungwoo started feeling weaker than he ever thought possible. It happened every single time. That Monday morning was no exception.

He was going to the gym when he saw Seungsik in front of his locker. That evening they'd have their first match in a really long time and last minute practice was mandatory, as always. It was the sunniest day their city had seen in months, probably, and Seungsik was happy. The ‘nothing and no one could ever ruin my mood, right now’ kind of happy. Seungwoo could tell by his smile alone.

Sun rays came in across the hallways' windows and hit his face and hair beautifully, making it look even blonder than it actually was. Seungsik was unbothered, though, and stayed bathing in the rays while he searched for something in his locker. Seungwoo instanly felt like singing _There's a light, there's the Sun_ in his ear. He always felt like singing to Seungsik, dedicating him every single song that brought his face to mind. And he never did, 'cause he knew he'd probably find him pathetic. Rightfully, too.

But what he did, instead, was approach him. Because he just couldn't stay away, even if he perfectly knew he should have. For Seungsik's sake, but especially for his. Whatever. Sue him.

“Good morning, sunshine.”

Seungsik didn't reciprocate his smile, but he didn't glare at him — like he usually did — either. He _really_ was happy, oh God... “'Morning,”, he said, looking Seungwoo up and down. “Are you going to the gym?”

Seungwoo nodded. “Last practice before tonight's match.”

Each team had their own and while Seungwoo's liked to spend all its time on the field, Seungsik's had this tradition of _never_ having practice the day of a match. He wanted his players to be as relaxed as possible, without tiring them too much before they actually had to. “Good luck with that,”, he added anyway.

“Looks like you're gonna need it more than me.” Seungwoo saw Seungsik roll his eyes in annoyment and instantly decided he had to say something to save the conversation before they could start getting on each other's nerves like they always did. “You can do it. You've worked hard.”

Seungsik raised one of his eyebrows, looking suspicious as fuck. “You're oddly civil, today.”

“You too.”

That probably wasn't the right thing to say — again — because Seungsik looked almost offended — again. Damn. “I'm _always_ civil. Just not with you.”

“Because I don't deserve that, right?” Seungwoo hoped his question would distract Seungsik enough to let him take away the heavy dictionary he just got out of his locker. Their fingers brushed against each other, but Seungwoo quickly retracted his hand and held Seungsik's dictionary close to his chest. His expression suddenly filled with shock, even if Seungwoo didn't know if it was because of what he did or said. Maybe both.

“I know this isn't your school, but did you forget gym is in the opposite direction?”

 _What a nice way to ask me why I'm suddenly following you_ , Seungwoo thought, stifling another smile. Seconds before, Seungsik tried to take his dictionary back and got all pouty when he couldn't, since he wasn't as quick and tall as Seungwoo. So he just let him be.

“Can't I take you to class, first?” Seungwoo hoped he could get what he truly wanted, even if just for one time. That, at least for once, they could spend some time together without being at each others' throats.

They did. And it went so much better than both of them probably expected.

Seungsik silently asked for his dictionary back as soon as they reached his class' door. Seungwoo gave it to him and stalled for what felt like centuries. He didn't want to leave. And Seungsik gave him the opportunity not to. “See you after school,”, he said, and a smirk pulled at Seungwoo's lips before he could hold it back.

“Are you taking me out on a date?”, he couldn't help but ask, winking, too.

“No, you idiot.” Seungsik almost threw the dictionary at him, hitting a portion of his chest and arm. Seungwoo burst out laughing while he backed away from that _little monster_ , but his amusement suddenly faded away as Seungsik spoke again. “We have a meeting with our principals. Don't tell me you forgot...”

Ah. Seungwoo couldn't contain a nervous laugh, while he scratched the back of his neck and avoided Seungsik's glare. He did, in fact, forget about that. “No, no,”, he lied anyway, because that was the only thing he perfectly knew how to do. “Uhm. See you later, yeah.”

He was gone even before Seungsik could actually notice.

 

**Sikie [16:37 PM]**

_Where the fuck are you?_

**Dumbwoo [16:40 PM]**

_Catching Pokémons!_

Even if Seungsik should have expected things to go exactly like they did, he absolutely couldn't help feeling like an idiot as soon as he was done reading Seungwoo's text. It was actual proof he didn't care about being civil and responsible, no matter what he did or said, and yet Seungsik let himself be fooled every single time.

Their principals had organized that day's meeting for every sport's team both schools had, in order to keep 'em all updated about the gym situation. Clarity was what their students and athelets deserved: they needed to know for how much longer it would be necessary to share training space and whatnot. All captains were invited and all of them attended the meeting without second thoughts. Except Seungwoo. Obviously.

Finding him was way easier than Seungsik expected, since he didn't even bother with going back home after school. As soon as his relaxed figure — he was sitting on one of the yard benches, casually checking his phone — caught Seungsik's eyes, he felt hot blood boil in his veins and a strong desire to hit him until he was desperately crying for help.

“Why do you always have to ruin everything?” It started off like that, without greetings or anything of the sort. It wasn't like Seungwoo deserved that, anyway. There were so many things he always — voluntarily or not — _ruined_ , that even just trying to make a list of it would have taken Seungsik centuries. In that exact moment, he was mainly referring to his good mood, which was now — thanks to the other captain — just a distant memory. How unfair. A single person shouldn't have been allowed to have all that power on him.

“Oh, ehy. How was the meeting?” Seungwoo asked, looking at him with a faint smile. “Sorry, I was busy.”

Seungsik felt like screaming and knew he'd start doing just that, sooner or later. It was the only way they knew how to communicate with each other, after all. And he hated that. “I literally can't stand you.”

Seungwoo's smile grew even bigger — and provocative. “Want to sit on my face, then?”

Seungsik was, a hundred percent, expecting him to say something unpleasant. What he didn't expect, though, was his next question riling him up so much. Before he could even try to contain himself, Seungsik grabbed Seungwoo's t–shirt so hard he was forced to stand up and finally confront him for real.

He didn't pay attention to how much strenght he used to do just that, though, resulting in both of them losing balance for some seconds. Seungwoo had always been quicker than Seungsik, and that time was no different. He firmly stood back on his feet faster than him and also managed to keep him from falling, by lacing one of his arms behind Seungsik's back.

“If you don't stop right fucking now, I swear to God I'm gonna beat the shit out of you,”, he said to him, as soon as he was stable again.

Even if there was no longer need to, Seungwoo still held him so close it would've actually looked like they were just hugging. “You should watch that pretty little mouth of yours,”, he whispered, and he was — again — so close to Seungsik's lips that he couldn't help but stare at them the whole time.

“And you sh—” Seungsik never managed to finish what he was about to say, because Seungwoo interrupted him in the least expected way possible and his ‘should’ became nothing other than a long ‘shhhh’ — making it almost look like he was just shushing him.

Except Seungsik was the one being shushed. Because Seungwoo was suddenly kissing him.

It took him some time to actually _understand_ what was going on and finally open his eyes — which fluttered close on instinct, as soon as his lips came in touch with Seungwoo's soft ones — to the absolute nightmare he was living.

Before he could actually do anything else, though, Seungwoo had already interrupted the kiss and let him go. “I finally managed to shut you up,”, he observed with a grin, and Seungsik didn't even think before he just slapped him.

“Don't _ever_ do that again.” Especially if you're gonna act like it's not a big deal, afterwards. Seungsik almost felt like crying, and it was infuriating since he didn't even know why he should have. “I hope I can make the rest of your year here a living Hell, too.”

 

After the ‘tragedy’ — Seungsik vehemently refused to call it any other way — Seungwoo and the rest of his team disappeared into thin air, as if they never existed. It would have almost looked like everything was back to normal, and Seungsik wished with all his might he could just feel grateful about that and go on with his life. It was a lot harder than that, though, since he couldn't help constantly thinking about his last encounter with Seungwoo and what happened between them.

He hadn't told anyone — not even Dongyoung, the one he trusted the most with things like that — about the kiss they shared, scared that saying it out loud would make the whole situation even more real than it already was. His team had noticed the sudden change in behaviour Seungwoo's had, though, since it was unusual for them to literally go in the opposite direction as soon as they saw each other. They couldn't help asking Seungsik about that, and he never answered not even one of their multiple questions. Because what could he have ever said when he himself had absolutely no idea what the fuck was going on, exactly?

That made 'em all even more suspicious, if possible. And yet, they just stopped pressing him for answers, at some point — as if they knew that keep on insisting would only make things worse. Almost a month went by and Seungsik hadn't seen any of his rivals all that time — not even once, not even for a moment. Until one day, things suddenly went back to the ‘status quo’. As if that was the only thing they _had_ to do.

“Oh. So they're alive.” Subin's voice distracted Seungsik from his internal monologue and he briefly furrowed his eyebrows, silently asking himself what exactly the maknae was talking about.

His confusion didn't last too long, though, because as soon as Seungsik followed his gaze to the only almost–free table their school's library had, everything made sense. Lim Sejun was there, all alone and fully concentrated on his studies. Back to sharing, uh?

“Can we sit here?” Seungsik asked as soon as they reached him, making Sejun jump.

He didn't expect anyone in that school to talk to him, let alone Kang Seungsik.

Things got really awkward all of a sudden. That wasn't good. Nothing felt right anymore. As much as he and Seungwoo ‘hated’ each other and had a complicated relationship, they always managed to make it work. After their kiss, though, everything looked permanently damaged and irretrievable.

“Of course!” Sejun exclaimed, gifting them with his best dimply smile. “It's your school, after all.”

Subin didn't even wait to be sat down to comment on that. “Exactly. So why are you here?”

“I couldn't study, back there. It's so noisy...” He was surely talking about the restoration his school was still undergoing, since — as it was revelead during the meeting with both principals — it was gonna take workers the rest of the school year to be done with that.

Seungwoo find that out days after his last meeting with Seungsik and couldn't help but feel like the immense piece of shit he probably really was. He'd never admit that to anyone except himself, but the only reason he didn't attend that meeting was because he didn't wanna know how little time he had left to spend with Seungsik. And it was all for nothing, since he — being a senior — would have had to leave school at the end of the year anyway. His life really looked like a joke, sometimes.

“We won't disturb you, then.”

“It's okay! I'm almost done.” Sejun reassured them and Seungsik tried to let the conversation die by just humming in response. He had so many things to revise with Subin, that day, and wanted to get done with his geography tutoring as soon as possible. But Sejun wasn't about to let that happen, apparently. “Congratulations on your last match, by the way. It was really well played.”

“We lost.” Subin underlined, with an almost annoyed tone.

Yeah, they lost. Again. No matter how much they trained and improved — especially Chan — something still didn't seem to function as it should have, by then.

“There's always room for improvement. All things consired, you were great.” Sejun complimented them again and he looked really honest, so much that Seungsik couldn't help but thank him.

His rival just smiled at him, then, and as soon as he started using his phone, Seungsik and Subin put all their attention on their nth tutoring session.

**Sejunie [10:57 AM]**

_I'm at the library with your crush_

**Captain [10:59 AM]**

_Who?_

**Sejunie [11:00 AM]**

_I don't know. How many crushes do you have?_

Seungwoo didn't even bother answering that and just sprinted towards the library. He knew Seungsik probably wouldn't be too happy to see him and that the right thing to do would be to continue respecting that, just like he did for the past month. Even if it wasn't his intention at all, Seungwoo was well aware he upset him when he kissed him and knew he just had to give Seungsik his space, in hope that would be enough to let things go back to ‘normal’. It wasn't what he wanted, of course, but better having Seungsik as an enemy than not having him at all.

Seungsik barely looked at him when he sat down next to him — and in front of Sejun — and Seungwoo suddenly felt his heart tremble in fear. He had missed him so much. And he was so, so afraid things would never get good again. It was ridicolous to think a single kiss could do such big damage.

“Honey.” Seungsik suggested at some point, trying to help Subin with his assignment.

And Seungwoo just couldn't keep his mouth shut, as always. He wanted Seungsik to stop ignoring him, to start looking at him just like he had done since he entered that library. So: “Yes, baby?”, he asked, with the softest tone.

Seungsik swore under his breath and Seungwoo couldn't contain a smile. No matter how hard he tried, he could never ignore him. “I wasn't talking to you,”, he corrected, finally looking into his eyes.

“ _Ouch_.” Seungwoo touched his chest, as if his heart was aching. Which, by the way, wasn't so far from the truth. He hated that situation.

And he wasn't alone, apparently, because Seungsik suddenly looked like he was back to his ‘old self’ and started treating him like he always did before. What more did he have to lose, anyway?

“If I didn't know you any better, I'd say you were flirting with me.”

Seungwoo raised an eyebrow. “Why are you so sure I'm actually not?”

The table fell silent and everything became awkward again. Uh, no. Seungsik absolutely couldn't do that. Not when everything suddenly felt so inexplicably painful and heartbreaking. Oh, well. An attempt was made.

But little did he know, the worst was yet to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come find me on twitter @n_citizenz


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so sorry for being late. Truth is I've been having some difficulties with the story, both from being not 100% satisfied of my writing and not really knowing where I wanted this to go.  
> Plus, I'm studying for my driving license and it's taking so much time away from me... I also wanna try to enjoy summer, so yeah. My life's pretty much a mess, as of right now. So I hope you'll excuse me, if it takes me ‘some time’ to come out with new content.  
> We're not too far away from the end — I was thinking less than five chapters more — so I hope it won't be that big of a problem. Anyway, thank you so much for your support — and enjoy!

Seungsik didn't really like parties — not huge ones, at least. He was an indoor person, yes, but his definition of ‘staying home’ was way different than Johnny's. And yet, there he was. The love he had for his teammates would be his downfall, he had always knew that. And what happened that Saturday night was just the nth proof of it.

Championship had been going on for a couple of months and despite the rough start his team experienced, things were now a lot better. With time, everything clicked into place and they were somehow still holding on and taking home various wins. Seungsik was proud of all of them, so much that as soon as he heard about Johnny's party, he was happy to know his team could finally catch a well deserved break. Even if it was thanks to one of their ‘enemies’.

Seungsik's idea of relaxing was very far from spending the night at someone else's house, drinking and dancing with people he never saw before, so he wasn't really planning on going — even if he knew _all_ his teammates would have — until Ten guilt–tripped him into doing just that. And he could never say no to any of his friends, especially if it was sad–and–injured Ten. Who he hadn't seen in months.

They still kept in contact, for sure, but him not attending school because of his knee was really putting a strain on their bond. Seungsik knew that, and Ten took advantage of it. He would've been a hundred percent capable of getting seriously mad, as he told him, if his captain didn't go to the party and lost a chance to see him again.

Seungsik had to give up. And while they were just catching up and having fun, all together once again — except now Chan was there, too, which made their family fuller in a good way — it looked as if _almost_ nothing ever changed. He felt happy. He thought going hadn't been a mistake — even if there were too many people, there, and he was drunk off his ass. Thanks, Ten.

Going up the stairs to Johnny's second floor without tripping and breaking something was the hardest challenge Seungsik ever had to take on, but somehow he miracolously reached the room he had apparently reserved for him. He hadn't planned on staying for a sleepover, too, but literally nobody — himself, especially — was sober enough to take him home, so Johnny simply offered the whole team to spend the night there and get back as soon as they felt better. Ten would have stayed, too, so Seungsik couldn't really say no — he was too drunk to protest, and couldn't deny the idea of going to bed _immediately_ sounded way better than having to get home before he could do just that.

The room — Seungsik didn't know whose it was and didn't really care, either — was illuminated enough for him to see the bed and sprint towards it, hitting the mattress with a loud thump. And a grunt?

Seungsik furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, standing upright as quick as possible. That felt way too hard for a mattress. And last time he checked, beds didn't talk. For a brief moment, he wished he was just too drunk and imagining things, but as soon as he shone some light to his left, reality hit him like a truck.

“What are you doing here?”, he yelled, making his head hurt even more. “Get out of my room!”

Han Seungwoo opened his eyes slowly and gave him a confused look, as if he was trying to figure out who was in bed with him all of a sudden. That had to be a nightmare. Going to that goddamn party  _really_ had been a mistake.

“This is Johnny's house, sweetheart,”, he corrected after a minute, slurring his words since he was pretty drunk, too.

If his head wasn't pounding so bad, Seungsik would have rolled his eyes. “Yes. And he's letting us stay here, since nobody is in condition to drive. And this is my room _for the night._ ”

Seungwoo's mouth hung open for some time before it looked like some kind of realization hit him and he jolted upright on the bed, too. “He did it on purpose.”

“What?”

“Johnny. He knows things between us are... weird. Everybody knows.” Seungwoo explained. “I asked them not to meddle and leave you guys alone, but they never listen to me.”

Oh. So that's why they ignored us for so long.

“You really did that?” Seungsik asked, slowly getting up, too. He was too drunk to think straight and realize Ten was probably guilty, too, since he was the one who kept offering him drinks. Seungsik didn't have time for that, though, because Seungwoo looked really sad all of a sudden and was stumbling towards the entrance door.

He didn't want him to fall and hurt himself, and was barely in time to prevent just that by grabbing one of his arms before he could trip on the rug.

Seungwoo looked at him with a shocked expression. And he seemed to remember about their conversation only when their eyes met again. “Yeah. I know I upset you, when I kissed you. And I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention.” He freed himself as soon as he was done talking, and tried reaching the room's door again.

“Where are you going?” Seungsik couldn't help but ask.

“Home.”

“You're drunk.” Seungwoo just shrugged. “Come back here.”

Seungwoo hesitated a bit, but obeyed in the end. He laid back in bed while Seungsik freed himself of the jacket he was still wearing. Their principals would have probably been pretty happy to know students were implementing the ‘sharing rule’ outside of school, too. The two hockey teams literally went from sharing a gym to sharing a house. And Seungsik was about to go from sharing a house to sharing _a bed_ , with his nemesis.

“Leather suits you. You should wear it more often.” Seungwoo said, closely watching every single one of his movements. As soon as Seungsik laid next to him, he rested his head on one of his shoulders and put his arm against Seungsik's torso. Oh, God. “I would gladly make out with you,”, he added in a low voice, kissing his neck.

They were both _way_ too drunk for that shit. “Shut up or you're sleeping on the floor.” Seungsik threatened, not even trying to get Seungwoo to back off. It wasn't like he was really bothering him, anyway...

“I'm cold.”

“Why are you such a baby?” Seungsik asked, feigning annoyance while he procedeed to cover up Seungwoo almost completely.

“I can be _your_ baby.” Seungwoo was looking at him and Seungsik suddenly felt like his heart could explode at any moment. He had disheveled hair and only his eyes could be seen from under the duvet. He really looked like a baby. Oh, God. Alcohol was seriously making him think crazy things.

“Please, don't.” Seungsik said, trying to distract himself by talking. “I already have Subin and the rest of my team.”

“Then _you_ can be my baby.”

“Stop. You're making no sense.”

Everything became silent, finally, and Seungsik closed his eyes. Drunkness aside, he wasn't uncomfortable _at all_. And that was weird — to say the least — considering he literally was about to ‘spend the night’ with a guy who he supposedly hated. And who hated him back. Supposedly, again.

“Take my hands, now.” Seungwoo started singing when Seungsik was oh–so–close to finally falling asleep and getting some rest, intertwining their fingers as if it was the most natural thing to do right at that moment. “You are the cause of my euphoria.” Seungsik should have felt annoyed, maybe, but he couldn't. Seungwoo's voice was nice and soothing, and he actually — shockingly — really enjoyed the idea of falling asleep to it. “When I'm with you I'm in utopia.”

Seungsik's throat felt drier than ever, but he managed to swallow and talk again. “Can't say I relate, but thanks.” He didn't even know why he had to say that, instead of being honest — for once, at least — and complimenting Seungwoo's voice, like he deserved. Maybe he was the one who should have dropped hockey, after all.

“You're always so mean to me...” Seungwoo observed, sniffling.

Even if he couldn't see him, since his eyes remained closed the whole time, Seungsik knew he had to be pouting. Like the immense baby he was. “Never ask yourself why?”

“Can't you give me at least _one_ chance?”

“Seungwoo. I'm too drunk for this.” He really was. So much that even trying to figure out if his enemy was serious or not resulted impossible to him. And Seungsik couldn't afford his heart being broken because of delusions.

“I'm fine with talking about it again, when you're not.” Seungwoo semi–offered, and his voice still sounded too _convincing_ for Seungsik to call out his bluff.

So: “Yeah, sure,”, he just conceded. “Now sleep.”

Seungwoo didn't say anything else. He just went back to singing. “Won't you please stay in my dream?”

In the end, Seungsik actually did fall asleep to the sound of his voice.

  
  


The next morning, Seungsik opened his eyes to the same room he fell asleep in the night before, except now everything was floodlit and more distinguishable. Everything and... _everyone._

He didn't really know — nor did he want to — what had happened once him and Seungwoo both fell asleep, but somehow they managed to end up right in front of each other, face to face on the only big pillow Johnny's bed had. One of Seungwoo's arms was behind Seungsik's back, too. It had been his hand, going up and down against his t–shirt in the most soothing stroke, waking him up.

With that realization, came many more frightening ones. Seungsik was feeling good. Amazing, to say the least. Way better than he should have, considering he was still pretty much drunk and in bed with his nemesis. He felt relaxed, well–rested, as if he just woke up from the best night's sleep he could have ever asked for. And with that, came even more fear. He suddenly felt afraid to move, breathe, talk. He didn't want to ruin all that — whatever it was. He knew it couldn't last forever, but he still wished he could just bask in all that blissfulness just for some more time.

“Good morning,”, he still forced himself to whisper, letting one of his hands reach for Seungwoo's hair.

He had his eyes closed and if it hadn't been for his caressess, Seungsik would have seriously thought he was still asleep. He moved some long locks away from his eyes, trying to get a good glimpse of his relaxed face. He had never seen Seungwoo like that. Everything felt so new and _beautiful._

“'Morning,”, he greeted back, nuzzling his face against Seungsik's hand in a silent request for more cuddles.

Seungsik had to hold back a smile, but he still gave him what he wanted. He started carding his fingers through his hair while Seungwoo still kept his eyes closed and sighed contentedly against the pillow. He should have been scared, because things could have gone downhill at any moment, and yet Seungsik just felt cozy. There was nothing to be worried about, they were just snuggling...

 _Except._ Except this was Han Seungwoo. His enemy, the only guy he couldn't stand or have at least one civil conversation with, he who always had hidden agendas. Seungsik should have expected that. And yet, he was reminded of everything only when Seungwoo momentarily stopped his motions and tried to get his hand under his t–shirt. Against his naked skin. Uh, no.

“Don't.” Seungsik reprimanded, not because he didn't really want him to, but just because he was afraid of what could happen. Of what his heart could feel.

“Sorry.” Seungwoo whispered, retracting his hand. He also tried to move away from Seungsik and, suddenly, something inside of him almost snapped. He didn't know what exactly it was, he just was a hundred percent sure he didn't want to let Seungwoo go. He was scared, yes. But they both were. And there was nothing wrong with it.

Seungsik was kissing him even before he could actually realize it and stop himself. That was the point, though: he absolutely didn't want to stop. That's exactly why he let Seungwoo immediately turn the kiss into something way rougher than he would have expected — so, so different from the first one they shared — all bites and teeth knocking against teeth. Seungwoo pushed him on his back before climbing on top of him and Seungsik let him do that, too — because it was what they both wanted, because he needed to listen to his heart every once in a while.

It wasn't easy — his brain was still very much screaming at him to stop before it was too late — but Seungsik tried to shut it up by just kissing Seungwoo harder. And it worked.

“Fuck,”, he suddenly breathed out against his lips, “that was really hot.” 

Seungsik knew he was referring to the way he — involuntarily, to be honest — yanked his hair in order to distract himself, and couldn't help but smile. “You really are a masochist,”, he observed, Yoonoh's voice still echoing in his head.

Seungwoo looked really confused for a minute, but he didn't even bother with questions and just went back to kissing him. Everything was so rushed and messy, like he was afraid of Seungsik suddenly changing his mind and telling him to stop. He yanked his hair again — because he also knew how to be a little bitch, sometimes — and Seungwoo just growled inside his mouth, biting his lips so hard Seungsik feared they'd start bleeding at any moment.

“Sorry.” Seungwoo whispered, licking them and trying to shush his whining.

Seungsik let his hair go and resorted to just link his hands behind Seungwoo's neck and his legs around his waist. They were even closer than before, now, and Seungsik suddenly gasped for air and interrupted their kiss. They stared at each other for some moments, enjoying the peaceful silence they were in before Seungsik went back to kissing Seungwoo — this time on his chin and jaw. 

He finally bit on his earlobe and it was right in that moment that Seungsik  _knew_ he wanted more. Seungwoo was so weak and lost in his pleasure that pushing him on his back was a piece of cake, to him, even if he was way smaller and less strong. His hands suddenly gripped Seungsik's thighs hard, as if he wanted to keep him there forever. As soon as Seungsik started kissing him again, Seungwoo cupped his face and brought him even closer.

Now that he was under him — more vulnerable than ever and ready to let Seungsik take charge — it was his turn to interrupt their kiss, only for his mouth to latch against Seungsik's jaw. Differently from what he had previously done, though, he let his lips climb down to his neck and collarbone. As soon as he started sucking against his sensitive skin, Seungsik closed his eyes and sighed. That felt so, so good.

He never wanted him to stop, and that's why he almost immediately tilted his head to the left, in order to give Seungwoo better access and let him continue sucking bruises into his skin and licking them as soon as he was satisfied. One bite, way harder than the ones who preceded it, left Seungsik gasping for air and he suddenly felt the need to back away, in order to regain some breath before they could continue.

Seungsik felt like an absolute mess, but as soon as he could actually take a good look at Seungwoo, he knew he wasn't alone. His breathing was ragged too, and his hair disheveled. Seungsik suddenly felt an unexpected sense of pride in knowing _he_ caused all that.

“Fuck, you're beautiful,”, he just blurted out, and Seungwoo briefly averted his eyes from his face, as if he wasn't expecting that at all and didn't know how to react.

“I should be the one saying that,”, he added, before gripping his hips tightly. Again, he looked terrified at the sole thought of Seungsik moving away.

Too bad that was the last thing he wanted to do, right at that moment. Especially when Seungwoo's hold started hurting in all the right ways and he couldn't contain a moan, while he started rubbing against his crotch. And before he knew it, they were basically dry humping. Even if he was the one under, Seungwoo was guiding their movements like a pro and Seungsik let him do just that. Because it felt right, because it was the only thing he really wanted to do.

But nothing lasts forever. And even when we lose ourselves within a dream, we always know — even if just unconciously — it's gonna end.

“Breakfast's ready!” It was Dongyoung. His co–captain, best friend, voice of reason.

The dream suddenly stopped. And Seungsik found himself in the most horrifying of realities. So, the only thing he could do was run away. Only one minute ago he was about to kiss  _Han Seungwoo_ again, and even before he knew it, he was pushing him away and running towards the bathroom their room miracolously had.

He locked the door behind his back, breathing hard and trying not to have a panic attack over something so trivial as making out with his nemesis. There was nothing to freak out for. People kissed all the time, for fuck's sake. Everything would be fine. Or so Seungsik thought. Right until he found himself in front of the wall mirror and staring at his reflection.

His hair was a mess, his cheeks red, his lips swollen, breath still not completely recovered... And his neck, down to his collarbones, completely covered in hickies.

“ _Han Seungwoo_!”

  
  


“Can you please, for the love of God, stop laughing?” Namjoo gasped for air, her eyes closed while one of her hands tried to suffocate her laughter. “Joo, it isn't funny.”

“What do you mean, ‘it isn't funny’?”, she retorted. “This is the funniest shit I've seen in months, excuse you.”

Seungsik sighed, brushing his fingers against the bruised skin of his neck. Namjoo couldn't stop looking at it. “Listen, I don't have time for this. Could you at least try acting like my best friend and help me out with this?”

“See? That's what I'm talking about. It's funny because you're freaking out _so much._ ” Namjoo went suddenly serious. “It's just hickies, Sikie. Why are you acting like a scared virgin?”

A point was made. He literally flew away from Johnny's house — he needed to be as far as possible from Seungwoo... — and brought Namjoo with him. Because she was the only one Seungsik could trust with something like that.

It wasn't about being scared of hickies, though. “I just don't want anyone to see them. I have a meeting with coach, later, and I'll die of embarassment if I have to show up like this.”

“But _why_ are you so embarassed? This is what I don't understand.”

“Namjoo.” Seungsik called her name in the most serious tone ever, hoping she'd get the hint and stop being so fixated on finding answers he wasn't even sure he had. “I don't have time for you to go full on psychiatrist on me. It isn't that deep: can you cover this up or not?”

That was the whole point, the only thing he was asking of her. He didn't want to talk, he didn't want anyone to know. He just wanted a way to hide his _mistakes._

“No.” Namjoo shook her head and Seungsik's eyes widened in shock. Was she seriously denying him help? “If you don't tell me why, first.”

Oh. “Okay, bye. Thanks for nothing, I guess.”

Seungsik moved towards her room's door — he drove to her house on instinct, thinking that'd be the perfect place to hide and feel safe in, while they tried to find a solution together. Apparently, not.

Namjoo interrupted his escape, though. “Oh my God, wait! Why are you acting like such a drama queen?”, she almost yelled, holding one of his arms tightly. Oh, God. Were they about to argue? Seungsik felt a sense of panic fill his heart. He couldn't afford that, too. “At least tell me who's guilty of this...”

He gulped, trying to calm down a bit. Namjoo sounded really apologetic and he was too. Better lower his guard. “You wouldn't believe me, if I told you.”

“Try me.” Namjoo raised an eyebrow, crossing both her arms over her chest.

“Han Seungwoo.” Seungsik's voice came out in the most undefined of whispers and he thought — hoped — Namjoo didn't even hear him. And yet.

“ _What_?” She wasn't even done yelling when she started laughing again, covering her face in shock. “Oh, God! I knew this would happen, sooner or later! Oh, my fucking...”

Seungsik almost jumped. Yeah, she knew. Since forever, more or less.

“Namjoo.” He called her name, again, hoping she wouldn't start with her usual monologue of ‘Seungwoo has always liked you and the only reason he was in a relationship with me through all of middle school was to be closer to you, since he knew we've been attached at the hip for years’.

Seungsik's exhaustedness was probably visible, because Namjoo suddenly stopped laughing and went back to seriousness. Or at least she tried to.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Sorry. It's just...”, another giggle escaped her mouth, “I don't know what to say.”

“Just tell me how I can cover this up, please.”

Namjoo's eyes widened when she heard Seungsik's voice. He sounded on the verge of tears, almost, and his eyes were looking kinda glassy too. Oh, no.

“Sikie,”, she whispered, cupping his face. “You know you can talk to me, right? You don't have to, but you can.”

“I don't know what to say, too,”, he gulped. “It just... happened, I guess. It wasn't even the first time we kissed.”

Namjoo audibly gasped, her hands still gripping at Seungsik's cheeks. “What are you talking about?”

“It wasn't anything like _this._ ” Seungsik said, pointing at his hickies. “We were arguing and he shut me up by kissing me.”

“And then?” Namjoo caressed his cheeks one last time, before she stepped away and got closer to her vanity.

“I slapped him and he ignored me for a month.” Seungsik explained, while he watched his best friend trying to decide what make–up to use in order to finally cover up the mess on his neck. “I was — well, I still am — really confused and... hurt, I guess. I thought it was all just a game, to him.”

Namjoo searched for his eyes and: “Baby,”, she said, pouting. She looked really sad.

Seungsik shrugged. “But then one day he was back to his usual self, flirting and what not. It felt weird, initially, but with time everything was kinda ‘normal’ again. We were still bickering and provoking each other all the time... Without kissing, though.”

“And then you both got drunk.”

“I swear to God I'm never touching alcohol again.” Seungsik proclaimed, rolling his eyes.

“Are you really regretful, though?” Namjoo asked, motioning for him to sit down in front of the mirror, so that she could start working on his skin.

Seungsik gulped, averting his gaze from his best friend. “I... I don't think so. That's the problem. I don't want to get hurt.”

He wasn't even sure Seungwoo was gay, for fuck's sake. He had been with girls before — Namjoo, his _best friend_ , was living proof of that — but never with guys. Not to Seungsik's knowledge, at least. And, of course... Seungwoo didn't have to prove his sexual orientation to anyone, let alone him. Seungsik just wanted — needed, desperately — some certainties.

“I get it. But I don't think Seungwoo would ever do that to you. You know how I've always seen it: he cares about you.” Namjoo pointed out, looking at him straight in the eyes. She had always been so serious about the matter, even when Seungsik vehemently refused to listen to her. “And you care about him, too, right?”

“At the moment I just want to throw him off a cliff, but yeah, I guess.” Feeling so defeated hurt like a bitch, but Seungsik chose to be honest. Because he knew he could trust Namjoo. “It's complicated.”

“You'll figure it out, with time,”, she smiled. “Maybe talk to him first, mh?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yell at me on twitter @n_citizenz


	5. I'm not afraid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, sorry for being late. I'm trying my best to concentrate on what's left to write and be as fast as possible with updates, but my inspiration won't cooperate.
> 
> Anyway, there's only two more chapters before the end — and I hope I can publish them before the end of August, since September is gonna be another busy month...
> 
> Lemme know how you like this one, for now, and enjoy! ♡

There were plenty of things Seungsik could — and _should_ — have been doing right at that time, but absolutely none of them involved making out with Han Seungwoo. And yet.

The latter left his mouth free after what felt like centuries, and Seungsik took advantage of that to regain some breath. Too bad it was a complete failure, because as soon as Seungwoo's lips latched onto his neck, Seungsik was gasping for air  _again_ .

Seungwoo had always been a clever little shit and he must have figured out how weak Seungsik could get when it came to the exact spot he had covered in hickies just days before... That's why he always, somehow, ended up right there.

Seungsik felt his lips ghost over the bruised skin, still covered in foundation. Before all of this, he rarely ever put make–up on... And now it was a daily occurrence. Seungwoo really was changing him and his life bit by bit. For better or for worse? Seungsik still couldn't decide.

He just hummed, closing his eyes even more tightly, in hope he could free his mind of things like ‘oh my God, Seungwoo's gonna wipe off all the foundation I spent hours to apply’. Namjoo couldn't afford to become his personal make–up artist and Seungsik didn't even bother asking, because it just wouldn't have felt right. She was his best friend and helped him so many times — and always would, without even having to think about it twice — but he had to deal with his problems alone.

Some part of him knew they should have been talking and trying to sort things out — just as Namjoo had suggested — but even if he tried, they still ended up making out in the storage room Seungsik's school had. Another day of practice was done, and after an improptu match against Seungwoo's team the two captains were left with the task of cleaning the gym up. And as soon as they were alone...

“We should—” Seungsik tried saying, his voice cracking since he was still _very_ out of breath.

“What?” Seungwoo immediately asked, as if he was waiting for nothing other than his command. He looked seriously ready to give him whatever he wanted.

“Talk.” Seungsik completed, and Seungwoo's eyebrows suddenly furrowed.

“What?” He was confused.

Seungsik placed both of his hands on Seungwoo's broad chest, inspiring before he went to add: “We should talk,”, he could almost _feel_ Seungwoo tensing up under the uniform shirt he was still wearing, “about us.”

Seungwoo took a step back. “You want to do this now? Here?”

Seungsik gulped. Maybe it really wasn't the right place or moment for that. Maybe they seriously should have just kept making out. They had to wait all morning to have some alone time and it was one of the most frustrating things ever, especially since Seungwoo decided it was such a great idea to provoke him during their entire practice match. Even though they were in two different teams, he made sure to always find a way to _touch_ Seungsik, so that he reached the end of the game yearning for more and more.

“Yes.” Seungsik said, trying to sound clear and convinced. Even if he wasn't at all. “Why not? We can't just make out all the time and pretend nothing's changed. I don't want us to be just _this._ ”

“What do you want us to be, then?”

“That's what I'm asking you, Seungwoo.”

He knew that. They both knew. And that's probably why the other captain suddenly became very, very serious. “I like you. I've always liked you. And I know I suck at showing it. That's probably why you can't seem to trust me yet. I'm aware it'll take some time, but I can wait. I'm not afraid.”

Before he could even realize it, Seungsik felt on the verge of tears. He feared his eyes were glassy too, now, and Seungwoo probably noticed that, because he saw his gaze change completely before he moved as close as he needed to be to him to start caressing one of his cheeks.

“Why the sudden change?” Seungsik couldn't help but ask. It was a fair question. He liked Seungwoo — and his feelings were very much reciprocated, apparently — but could he actually trust him, given how they used to be with each other? Was the boy who always made fun of him and proclaimed himself as his biggest enemy, both on and off the court, really _in love_ with him?

“I used to think I don't deserve you. Well, I still do. But I'm too selfish to give you up, I guess. So I decided to take a chance. We deserve that, don't you think?” He winked in the end, and Seungsik rolled his eyes.

He was happy, though. That was the Seungwoo he knew. “Maybe,”, he replied, unable to hold back a shy smile.

As soon as Seungsik tried to hide his face — he could feel himself blush and didn't want Seungwoo to see him like that — he hugged him, pressing his lips to one of his cheeks. Seungsik suddenly relaxed. He had so many questions, still — about himself, about Seungwoo, about what he wanted, about the both of them as a couple — but he was willing to wait and enjoy things step by step. As long as Seungwoo held him, he was safe.

  
  


“Seungsik has class.”

“Oh, I know.” Namjoo observed, her voice tone as calm as ever. “I'm here for _you_.”

Seungwoo's eyebrows instantly furrowed, and he hoped his sudden nervousness wasn't as visible as he feared it was. He averted his gaze from Namjoo's arm — she had raised it in front of the gym door as soon as he reached it and tried to get back to his school, so that she could block his path and make sure he didn't escape — to look at her straight in the eyes.

“You're here for me?”, he asked.

Namjoo had been his first girlfriend. They were very young and naive, when they got together at the beginning of middle school, but they'd been pretty happy nonetheless. Even if he never truly loved her, Seungwoo didn't regret their relationship one bit. Namjoo had helped him understand many, many things.

She nodded briefly, before speaking again: “I just wanna talk. Can we go somewhere private?”

Seungwoo just led her outside, where almost nobody was since all students were still either in class or at practice. He was done for the day, though. And so was Namjoo, apparently.

“So,”, he tried asking, even if some part of him wished he didn't. He suspected what Namjoo wanted to talk about, but he was afraid anyway. “what do you wanna talk about?”

“Seungsik.” Namjoo's answer was very fast and determined. Seungwoo just nodded, waiting for her to continue. “Are you serious about all _this_?”

“I assume he doesn't know anything.” He was referring to that impromptu interrogatory, and Namjoo instantly understood.

“Of course not,”, she confirmed. “He's fully capable of asking questions on his own, if he needs to. I'm just acting like the protective best friend I've always been.”

Seungwoo smiled. Seungsik _really_ was lucky. And he deserved to be.

“You know I'm serious, though,”, he observed after some time. “I like Seungsik. You knew it even before I did. It's nothing new.”

Namjoo squinted at him. “So was I right in thinking you got with me just to get closer to Sikie?”

“Listen, I'm—” Seungwoo stuttered, but he was quickly interrupted by one of Namjoo's raised hands.

“Blah, blah, blah. I know. That's not the point. I don't care, so save it.” She was talking so fast that Seungwoo could barely hear what she was saying. He knew she used to do that only when she was angry or nervous. Or, even worse, both. Was she still hurt? Did she still hate him for _using_ her? “It's been years and I survived. Just answer.”

Seungwoo stayed silent for a bit, his eyes fixated on Namjoo's face. He wanted to make sure she was being completely honest with him, as always. He never meant to make her suffer, but he still felt so, so ashamed about how he acted nonetheless. “Yes.”, he conceded in the end, voice barely audible.

Namjoo's eyes instanly lit up. “Ah! I knew it!”, she exclaimed, raising her fist in the air as if she had just won the lottery. “Both you and Sikie are like open books, to me.”

“Of course. You've known us your whole life, basically.” Seungwoo observed, feeling seriously at ease for the first time that day. He feared that chat with Namjoo could upset the both of them, but it didn't. If anything, it only gave her more certainties. No matter how ‘bad’ things ended up between them, Namjoo still cared.

“That's why I care about the both of you so much, despite everything,”, she said, as if she could hear his thoughts. “I want y'all to be happy. But as soon as you make my baby cry, I'm gonna kill you.”

Seungwoo burst out laughing. He had known since the first moment he decided he really wanted to try being with Seungsik and making him happy, that he'd have his whole team and Namjoo watching his every move and being more than ready to beat his ass if he fucked up in any way.

But he didn't mind. He never did.

  
  


Another day of practice was done, championship was nearing its end and things between him and Seungwoo were good. Or so Seungsik thought.

He spared the other captain a quick glance: they were left alone to tidy the gym up, as always, but Seungwoo was acting weird. He barely talked to him all day and just looked really absent in general, so much that even his teammates noticed that and told him off, begging for him to pay more attention to the game.

Seungsik thought nothing of it until every single one of them disappeared except the two of them and Seungwoo didn't even try to kiss him as he always did. Even though their _relationship_ was doing pretty fine, Seungsik still hadn't told anyone. They weren't official and he didn't even know if they'll ever be, so what was the point?

Seungwoo was fine with it being a ‘secret’: he was okay with waiting and never failed to remind Seungsik of that. And yet, he couldn't help being paranoid. Especially when Seungwoo acted like that, avoiding his gaze and just staring at walls, apparently thinking of nothing.

Seungsik shook his head, trying to shush the voice inside of him that had been repeating _he's already tired of you_ over and over again. He knew it wasn't true. Or so he hoped. “You're oddly quiet, today.”

Seungwoo was shook awake by his voice and his voice only. Seungsik watched him change position on the bench he had occupied all that time before he searched for his eyes. “I was just thinking.” About what Namjoo told me, he should have added. But he knew he couldn't.

“About what?” Of course, Seungsik would be curious.

“Nothing important.” Seungwoo shrugged, trying to sound convincing. He wasn't sure he'd succedeed, though, that's why he quickly stood up and hugged Seungsik. The other captain instantly relaxed between his arms, and only then Seungwoo searched for his face again. “Can I kiss you?”

Seungsik couldn't help but smile. Seungwoo wasn't tired of him. Not yet, at least.

He almost bit his tongue, hoping to shut up the side of him that always saw the worst in everything. He needed a distraction and Seungwoo was, as always, there to give him one. That's why he let himself be kissed, and kissed the other in return. As soon as their lips were united again, everything felt right.

Seungwoo interrupted their kiss only when they both started gasping for air, tugging at his lips before he left a quick peck on his neck and cheek. “So, baby... Can I be your boyfriend, can I?”, he started singing then, against his ear.

That was another one of their habits, possibly the one he loved the most. Even when he was just talking, Seungwoo's voice was very soft and relaxing... And when he sang, it got even better.

“Win the championship first.” Seungsik said, just for the sake of answering. He wasn't serious, of course. It was just a song and he wanted to joke around. Seungwoo always did that, too, so Seungsik was convinced he'd figure out it was all just a game.

“Are you serious?” Or maybe not.

His first instinct was to tell him the truth, but Seungwoo's gaze made him waver. His eyes were filled with what looked like sincere anticipation, and Seungsik just decided to go with the flow. “Yeah. Why not.” It wasn't as if he wouldn't like being Seungwoo's boyfriend...

The latter still didn't look too sure, though. “So, if I win I can ask you out?” Seungsik just nodded. “And what if _you_ win?”

“You're leaving me alone. Forever.”

“Oh...”

He had been kidding, again. And Seungwoo didn't get that, of course.

Seungsik felt like laughing. Things were getting way more fun than he expected. “I gotta go,”, he said, before he could actually burst and ruin his _plan._ Seungwoo just let him be, and his confused gaze followed him to the gym's door. Before he finally went out, Seungsik turned around and said: “You're a good singer, by the way. Maybe you're the one who should drop hockey.”

  
  


“Where do you think you're going?”

Johnny immediately stopped, one foot already out of the gym. “Home?”, he asked, his voice tinted with uncertainty. Weren't they done already, as always?

Seungwoo shook his head, as if he could read his thoughts. “We're not done yet.”

“Are we not?” Yuta suddenly asked.

Taeil stepped up before their captain could add anything else. “I have to go to work, though.”

“Yes. You can.” Seungwoo nodded. “The rest of us are staying.”

Taeyong raised one of his eyebrows, as confused as the rest of the team was. He watched Taeil collect all his belongings and disappear in the dimly lit locker room's hallway, before he looked at Seungwoo again. “But why? Didn't we practice enough for today?”

Their team had always been about accomplishing the maximum with doing the minimum. And every time Taeil had to leave for work, practice was done for everyone else too. It had always worked that way.

“There's no such thing as _enough_ when finals are this close.” Not anymore, though.

The team shared a collective glance, but nobody dared to say anything else. Johnny walked back into the court and practice just started again, as if nothing ever happened. They were still working when Seungsik's team arrived.

Dongyoung looked at the scene with disbelief in his eyes. It was a Friday, and their enemy team _never_ practiced that late. “Seungwoo's team is on fire.”, he observed.

Byungchan, who just happened to walk past them, heard him, and he instantly felt the need to say: “Ah, look at how far Captain has come for some dick...”

Sejun burst out laughing, searching for Seungsik's face. He was suddenly looking very, very pale. They all knew about ‘the bet’ the two had going on, while the rest of Seungsik's team didn't even imagine him and Seungwoo were kind of seeing each other. Maybe it was time they knew too, though. So: “Right, Sikie?” Sejun asked with a smile.

Seungsik didn't even reply. There was no point in trying to avoid _the talk_ anymore. He already knew he'd have to tell everything to his whole team, as soon as possible.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on twitter @n_citizenz or ask me stuff on cc: curiouscat.me/lenalee_ebbasta


	6. I think I love you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I'm not dead. No, I didn't give up on this fanfiction. There's only the epilogue left, and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to have it up by the end of next week tops.  
> I'm deeply sorry for being so late, but I had a rough time finding the strenght to do basically anything. I'm feeling much, much better now — and I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter nonetheless.  
> I intend to keep the epilogue very, very short — it's gonna be just one final scene, a little look into 2seung's future. Thank you in advance for deciding to follow me into this journey: as a(n English) writer I'm still very much lacking, but this experience helped me improve and also made so, so happy. I'll never be grateful enough.

“Please, tell me this is just a joke.” Their locker room's door was not even properly closed yet when Dongyoung started talking. He had waited long enough already. He needed, wanted, _deserved_ answers.

Seungsik remained silent, though. His teammates watched the defeated look on his face, the way he dragged himself through the locker room and sat on one of the hardwood benches with a heavy sigh.

“I can't believe you actually fell for Han Seungwoo, in the end.” Hanse observed with a snicker, hoping his usual sense of humour could ease things a little bit more.

“SeungSeung nation, rise!” Yoonoh added, screaming and laughing.

Hanse knew he was trying to help by giving them all a light distraction, and loved him for that. His voice tone and giggle both sounded fake and exaggerated, though. An attempt was made.

“SeungSeung?” Chan couldn't help but ask, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Yoonoh rolled his eyes, faking annoyance. “It's their shipname! Of course you losers don't even know what that means.”

“Hey! _I_ know what it means!” Hanse shouted, and for a moment everything felt right again. Nothing was different or bad: just the same team bickering over stupid and funny things. “We should use 2seung, though. SeungSeung sucks.”

“How dare you? Let's have a v...” Yoonoh's proposal halted mid–way, interrupted by Subin's voice.

Their maknae sat beside Seungsik on the bench the captain was still silently occupying, putting a hand on his right shoulder. “Sikie–hyung, what's going on?”, he asked, with the softest voice.

That was enough to bring him back. Seungsik shook his head twice, knowing _he had_ to talk to his team. For real, this time. No more turning back. It wasn't as if he had something to hide or be ashamed of... His teammates would understand. Or so Seungsik hoped. Firstly, though, he needed them to listen.

“ _Guys_!”, he had to shout at some point, trying to get over Hanse and Yoonoh's bickering.

As soon as he raised his voice, the locker room fell silent again. So silent that Seungsik almost felt a shiver run down his back. He was scared. So, so scared. Would he lose his team?

“You have some explaining to do.” Dongyoung observed, laying his back against the cold metal of his locker, his arms crossed over his chest.

Seungsik sighed, then nodded. “I know,”, he agreed. “There's not much to say, though.”

At that point, Chan decided he had to help. Or at least try to. Their captain didn't seem to know what to tell them, so he was just gonna ask questions. “What were Sejun and Byungchan talking about?”

Seungsik audibly gasped, avoiding his gaze. Chan instantly knew he had asked just the right question. “Exactly what you think. Seungwoo likes me. _I_ like him. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“Of course not!” Yoonoh exclaimed.

And even before he could try to add anything else, Dongyoung said: “I just wish you told us.”

Seungsik nodded, his eyes suddenly teary. He knew. They had every right to be mad at him. “I'm sorry. I didn't know how to. It's... complicated.”

“Why?” Hanse asked.

“It was all just so sudden.” Seungsik tried explaining, with a shrug. “He kissed me one day while we were arguing.”

“Uh. What's the name of this drama?”

Seungsik had to fight back his urge to eyeroll. Yoonoh would never change. Luckily. “I was shocked and I slapped him. He ignored me for weeks and asked his team to do the same.”, he continued.

“That's why they didn't even look at us for the longest time!” Subin suddenly knew, just like the rest of his team. Now everything made sense...

Sikie just nodded, then gulped again, before he went back to talking. “Then one day everything was okay, as if nothing ever happened. Strangely, I liked that. We both got drunk at Johnny's party and ended up in the same bed...”

“Oh my God!” Dongyoung shouted, his eyes getting as big as saucers. “Did you have sex with him?”

“ _I did not_!” Seungsik's voice almost cracked. “And it isn't your business, anyway.”

“Whatever.” Hanse shrugged. “We all know it's gonna happen sooner or later, so.”

Well...

Seungsik gulped again, trying not to suffocate. He could swear his face was now as red as Hanse's hair. _Damn_.

“So you just started seeing each other?” Subin asked after some time, giving him a much needed distraction.

“Yeah. Kind of. We didn't tell anyone. Seungwoo's team figured it out on their own.”

“And we didn't.” Dongyoung stated, sounding so defeated Seungsik's heart started hurting. “Oh my God, I feel so stupid.”

“Babe...” Yoonoh whispered, grabbing his boyfriend's waist and kissing one of his temples.

Seungsik watched how much more relaxed Yoonoh's touch made him feel, and had to suppress a smile. Even if they were almost cuddling, now, Dongyoung didn't give up.

“You _know_ I hate not knowing things!”, he said, in the whiniest voice. Yoonoh felt the sudden urge to kiss his adorable pout away, and did just that.

Hanse took advantage of his momentaneous silence to explain: “What Dongyoung's trying to say is...”

“You can talk to us.” Chan completed.

Dongyoung suddenly broke away from his boyfriend's kiss. “No, you _have_ to.”, he corrected, pointing a finger in Seungsik's direction, while still holding Yoonoh really close to his body. Again, the captain felt like smiling. He would have been lost without his teammates.

“He doesn't.” Yoonoh observed in a low voice, trying to put some sense into Dongyoung. “But yeah, he can.”

“And if you're happy, we're happy.” Subin added. “You don't have to be afraid of us, hyung.”

Seungsik felt like crying. He really didn't deserve such nice friends.

He remained silent for a little bit, trying to swallow the sudden lump in his throat. And as soon as he started talking again, he just hoped his voice wouldn't come out too shaky. “I'm not. I just didn't know what to say, really. I don't know what we are.” Nobody commented on that, and Seungsik knew he had to go on even more if he wanted them to understand, too. “I kind of promised him I'd become his boyfriend if he won the championship.”

“You did _what?_ ” Dongyoung could feel himself get mad again.

“It was a joke!” Seungsik anxiously exclaimed. “He just failed to fully grasp the irony of it...”

Dongyoung couldn't believe that was really happening. Not now, not to him.

He basically growled, his patience being tested for the nth time that day, and almost pushed Yoonoh off of him. “Practice. Immediately.”, he ordered, frowning like mad.

Everybody jumped up, knowing best not to mess with their co–captain when he was that pissed off.

Yoonoh's plump lips curled up in the biggest smile, while he watched his boyfriend stomp out of the locker room with glinty eyes. “Oh, he's so sexy when he gets all bossy...”

Seungsik couldn't help but sigh. At least one of them was happy.

  
  


But they actually all were, in the end. It took Seungsik's teammates some time, but eventually everyone grew accostumed to the idea of him and Seungwoo being _a thing._ Even the latter's teammates all knew, by now, and Seungsik felt at peace, finally being in the open and not having to hide anything to anyone, anymore. Wanting to kiss, hug or even just hold Seungwoo's hand and not having to wait for them to be completely alone still felt new and weird, to him, sometimes — but never less beautiful.

Even championship was going on smoothly, despite Dongyoung still feeling on edge because of the bet his captain and their nemesis had going on. He wasn't about to lose just because of Seungwoo yearning for some dick. Somehow, though, he managed to get over that, too. And everything went on just like it should have had, at least according to Seungsik.

“It's so cold!” Byungchan's whiny voice snapped him out of his reverie, and Seungsik moved his head on Seungwoo's lap in order to look for him.

He was lying on the grass not too far away from them, with Sejun by his side. They were sharing a blanket, but apparently that wasn't enough. Seungsik giggled, listening to the little voice Sejun always used to sweet talk his boyfriend. Those two were amazing, perfect for each other. Sejun really, actually _loved_ taking care of Byungchan. Seungsik wished he could be as good as a boyfriend as he was. And considering he literally had organized a stargazing night, including both his team and Seungwoo's, just for the latter's birthday, he thought maybe he wasn't doing so bad himself.

“What is it?” Seungwoo's voice reached his ears after a little bit, and Seungsik averted his gaze from Sejun and Byungchan, only to look for his face.

“Byungchanie's cold.”, he explained, starting to feel a little guilty. Maybe it wasn't the right time for stargazing.

Seungwoo, his head still on Subin's shoulder, just rolled his eyes. “Leave him be. He loves complaining.”

“Maybe I should have chosen some indoor activity...”

“Baby, _don't_.” Seungwoo sounded almost offended, while he quickly stood up and reached for Seungsik's wrist. The latter was forced to get up, too, and last thing he saw before Seungwoo took him away from their team's chatter, was Subin kissing Hanse's cheek. _Cute._ “This was such a sweet idea, I wouldn't change anything. Byungchan will survive.”

“I guess.” Seungsik whispered, taking a seat in Yuta's messy–as–fuck minivan. As soon as he heard about Seungsik's idea of going stargazing for Seungwoo's birthday, he offered to drive them, since it was the most spacious car they had, after all.

“Trust me.” Seungwoo forced a smile, even if the only thing he really wanted to do right at that moment was beat Byungchan to death. He managed to make Sikie feel guilty with his never–ending whining and that was so _wrong._ “You reunited my whole team for my birthday. We never hang out aside from practice and matches, not even to celebrate. Nobody has ever done anything like this for me.”, he explained after some other time. His voice was laced with gratitude and even Seungsik noticed that, leaving a kiss on the top of Seungwoo's head, now laying on his shoulder. Seungwoo's eyes automatically fluttered close. He felt happy, relaxed, blissful even. He literally couldn't have asked for a better birthday party.

“I know you needed it, even if you never said anything. I'm glad you liked it.” It was one of the many things about his ‘ex–nemesis’ Seungsik simply _understood_ , without him having to tell him how much he would have liked an occasion to actually bond with the rest of his teammates who weren't Sejun or Byungchan. That's why he gathered them all for his birthday. He did it for him. “Even if it's cold.”

“Are _you_ cold?”

Seungsik hummed, getting more comfortable on the backseat they were both occupying. “A little bit, yeah.”

Seungwoo's plump lips instantly curved in the most mischievious of smiles, while he moved to look him straight in the eyes, before saying: “Uh, I know a couple of ways to warm you up.”

If it wasn't for Seungwoo already kissing the living daylights out of him, Seungsik would have bursted out laughing. “You're impossible.”, he gasped anyway, as soon as their lips disconnected.

“You love me.”

Seungsik gulped. Uh–oh. He really wasn't ready for _that_ talk. “Maybe we should sleep.”

“Maybe we should make out.” Luckily, Seungwoo was too horny to actually notice Seungsik had ignored his previous statement. So, he just decided to go with the flow. They both needed a distraction, anyway.

Things escalated pretty quickly, though, and before he knew it, Seungsik was hard and regretting all his life choices. He huffed. “I want you to suck my dick, but I don't wanna get undressed. It _is_ cold.”

Seungwoo giggled against his lips. “Maybe you really should have chosen an indoor activity.”

“Asshole.”, he growled, hitting his chest. “I hate you.”

“You love me.” Seungwoo corrected, and Seungsik felt on the verge of another panic attack. Why was he so fixated on the ‘love topic’, all of a sudden? “ _I_ think I love you.”

Oh. That was why.

  
  


A couple of weeks later, Seungsik was laying on their gym's locker room floor with Subin. The both of them had decided to get there quite early, in order to finish with the maknae's tutoring before practice. That same day, the little Jung would have to face his reparation exams. Seungsik just hoped everything would go right.

A soft knock on the wood door interrupted his explaining, and Seungsik knew who it was even before actually _seeing_ Seungwoo. The latter came in without a word, simply smiling at Subin and ruffling his hair tenderly. Then, he landed on the floor behind Seungsik and spread his legs, in a silent invite for the other captain to just scoot closer to him and lay his back against his broad chest. Something Seungsik immediately did, with immense pleasure.

“Hello.” Seungwoo whispered in his ear, circling Seungsik's waist with his arms and kissing one of his temples.

Seungsik just hummed in response, then went back to tutoring. It wasn't the first time Seungwoo decided to join the both of them during their sessions, and by then he had learned not to mess with them _at all_. Seungsik didn't mind his presence, but he couldn't afford to get distracted. Subin really needed his help.

That's why Seungwoo stayed unbothered. He didn't feel sulky, nor like he was being ignored. Simply, Seungsik was busy and he just needed to wait. Besides, he was used to his silences, by now. Sikie wasn't always _that_ talkative: on the contrary, he really enjoyed silence. Seungwoo knew that, and appreciated it nonetheless. They didn't need constant conversation: they were at peace even by just being together.

“Can we hang out after school?”, he asked, however, as soon as they were done and he wished Subin good luck. “I miss you.”

Of course he did. Lately they'd both been so busy with their last exams and matches — championship was _really_ nearing its end — that they basically only had time to see each other between lessons. What a tragedy.

“You forgot again.” Seungsik's voice was laced with disappointment and Seungwoo trembled in fear. Uh–oh. “I can't believe this.”

“What?”, he almost stuttured, afraid of knowing what exactly he had forgotten about.

Seungsik slapped him across his chest and his voice came out really squeaky, when he talked again. He was mad for real. “Your meeting with the principals! The one you _have_ to attend, since you missed one already!”

Oh. Seungwoo became suddenly sulky. “Why did it have to be today? I feel so tired...”

“That's what you get for staying up so late to study.”

“It's not my fault the only free time I have is after dinner.”

Seungsik instantly relented. It was true. Seungwoo was so busy with practice and stuff he was _obliged_ to stay up 'till late to study. “Promise me you'll go to the meeting.”, he begged anyway, deciding to stay focused on the matter at hand. “It's important, Woo.”

“Can we at least text? Please, I feel like I'll die from boredom.”

Seungsik agreed, but thought he maybe shouldn't have had when Seungwoo made it really clear that he wanted to _sext_ more than just text. At first, he felt outraged and embarassed, his only weapons to Seungwoo's flirty messages being sarcasm and bickering. When he was actually beginning to have fun, though, Seungwoo stopped answering. And Seungsik immediately knew why.

  
  


**Baby [3:27 PM]**

_Did you fucking fall asleep now that I was starting to enjoy this shit?_

  
  


The doorbell rang just seconds before Seungsik could exit his house kitchen and go straight to his bedroom again, ready for a long and well deserved night's sleep. It was really late and he couldn't help but wonder, while he moved for the front door in only one of Seungwoo's oversized sweatshirts and his pajama pants, who could be visiting him at that godforsaken hour. But of course...

“Shouldn't you be sleeping?”, he asked Seungwoo, raising one of his eyebrows. He was genuinely confused, other than just irritated.

Seungwoo nodded in his direction. “In your bed with you? Yes.”

He was inside Seungsik's house even before the other captain could actually notice, already so accoustumed with the flat. Seungsik watched his figure disappear in the dark hallway leading to his bedroom and just heaved a sigh, deciding he didn't have the strenght necessary to fight his ‘boyfriend’. After Seungwoo fell asleep, Seungsik had ignored him all day. And even if he probably shouldn't have, he had missed him. Too much to shoo him away now that they were together again.

“How was the meeting?”, he asked, as soon as he reached his room, only to find Seungwoo already under the covers of his bed.

“Oh, really _interesting_.”, the other captain smirked, crossing his arms behind his head.

Seungsik rolled his eyes. “I'm so mad at you. And I'm sleeping over on Thursday.”

He was mad, yes. But not enough to deprive himself of one of his favourite traditions: movie night at Seungwoo's house.

“Yes, please.”, he whispered, smiling again while he scooted closer to Seungsik, as soon as he laid right next to him.

He was actually tired and wanting to sleep, but he understood quite easily that Seungwoo wasn't on his same wave–length. “We should sleep.”, he reprimanded, not even bothering to open his eyes, too relaxed by Seungwoo's steamy caresses. He wasn't even _trying_ to be subtle.

“I slept at school.”

Seungsik hit Seungwoo's ribs, whispering: “I noticed, asshole.”

Seungwoo laid on his side, stifling a laugh. He was having too much fun. “I'm curious to know what makes you angrier. Me falling asleep during an important meeting with our principals or me doing that in the midst of a sexting session with you?”

“ _Both_. I seriously cannot decide.” Seungsik huffed, crossing his arms on his chest.

Seungwoo could see him pouting even in the darkness of the room. “Well,”, he smiled against Seungsik's cheek, kissing it afterwards. “there's nothing I can do about the meeting. Your sexual frustration, on the other hand...” He never completed his sentence, because he didn't need to. He just left his hand, who had been laying on Seungsik's chest, trail down and down — 'till it reached his crotch.

“Han Seungwoo.” Seungsik took in a deep breath, trying not to move.

Seungwoo never felt more in love. “Tell me you don't want it and I'll stop.”

The room fell silent and everything stopped. Seungwoo didn't know what to do, how to read Seungsik's lack of response. As he was about to retrieve his hand and finally let him sleep, though, Seungsik moved forward and latched their lips together. Suddenly, as if it was the most natural thing to do, Seungwoo kissed him back.

Seungsik couldn't say he didn't want it. He _always_ did.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on twitter @JAYBAEAOM or ask me stuff on cc: https://curiouscat.me/lenalee_ebbasta


	7. Epilogue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's the epilogue. It's very short, but I hope you'll like it anyway.   
> Thank you so much for having been the most beautiful part of this amazing journey.

As soon as the clock ticked the final's last second and one of the referee whistled, announcing the official end of their last match for that year's championship, the crowd started roaring again — way stronger than before, filling Seungsik's ears and making his head pound uncontrollably — and everything sort of stopped, for him.

Incapable of moving anything other than his eyes, he scanned the court, trying so hard to swallow the lump at the base of his throat. Taeil was laying on the ground, exhausted, while Taeyong checked up on him and Johnny rubbed the latter's back. Seungsik eyed his uniform for a long time, trying to convince himself they  _really_ battled against their ‘mortal enemies’. It wasn't the first time they went to finals together, not at all, but that year — and for so many reasons — everything felt different.

Seungsik saw Yuta join Chan and Subin — not too far from where he still was, his fists clenched against his sides, trying so hard to realize  _all of that_ had actually just happened — and he gave them his biggest smile, one they instantly reciprocated. They'd both been amazing, and Seungsik felt his heart swell with pride as he looked for Ten's figure in the crowd. He knew he'd be proud of Chan, too.

He saw Ten smile at him and tried reading his lips, to no avail. He could still feel the heavy rumble of the audience, but nothing more than that. They looked satisfied, though, and Seungsik had to admit they had every right to be. Each and every one of them played an impeccable game. But of course, not everyone could get out of it victorious.

“We won!” A voice, very close to his ears, exclaimed. And Hanse appeared in front of Seungsik, jumping excitedly.

_They won._ Yeah. They did. And Seungsik seemed to realize it only in that precise moment. Even if not completely. It had to be a dream, hadn't it? There was no way an  ‘improvised team’ like theirs had just won championship against Seungwoo's one. They'd always been weaker: that year, without Ten, especially.

“I can't believe all our efforts actually paid off.” Seungsik heard Dongyoung say, and slowly turned his head to stare at him. One of his hands was squeezing Yoonoh's.

“Captain, are you alright? You look very pale.” The latter asked, avoiding to point out how Seungsik also didn't even move since the end of the match.

Seungsik tried to swallow the lump in his throat, again, and then nodded. He averted his gaze from his teammates, searching for the scoreboard. That wasn't really happening. Seungsik knew he'd look at it and be awaken from his dream, seeing they'd lost, as always.

But the only thing he did see was a ten point difference between his team and Seungwoo's, his team being the one who had _more._ What he did see was a crying Byungchan, Sejun's arms wrapped around his shoulders. What Seungsik also did see was Seungwoo's sad face, while he strolled in his direction. The lump in his throat tried to suffocate him even harder, as soon as their eyes met, and Seungsik couldn't resist anymore the immense urge to cry he had felt right until that very moment.

They'd won. Seriously. But at what cost?

“Stop crying.” Seungwoo's whisper reached his ears after what felt like centuries, and Seungsik tried obeying, thinking it probably had seriously been centuries since he started bawling. Their gym was almost empty, now, and everything felt calm again. He asked himself for just how fucking long he had weeped, feeling a wave of embarassment hit him.

“It's a happy cry.”, he sniffled and half–lied, absentmindedly wiping away some tears, already almost dried on his cheek's skin.

Seungwoo huffed. “Still. I hate seeing you cry. Can't you give me a smile, instead?” Again, Seungsik tried obeying. But judging from Seungwoo's disgusted glare and sound, his ‘happy face’ wasn't as convincing as they would have liked. “You're so ugly.”

And there it was. Even before he could actually notice it, Seungsik was smiling. His eyes were still full of tears and he had puffy cheeks, but he felt instantly relieved. And it was Seungwoo's merit. As always. “Gee, thanks.”, he said, sarcastically rolling his eyes.

They stayed silent for a bit, while Seungsik tried to recompose himself.

“I should be the one crying.” Seungwoo observed in the end, almost making him cry again.

“I'm sorry you lost. It was your last match ever...” Seungsik's voice was shaky as he said that, and he felt way sadder than he could have ever imagined he'd be. Only months before, winning against Seungwoo's team and _humiliating_ him, was his deepest desire. Now, as happy as he was for winning, he also felt incredibly apologetic.

Seungwoo would never have another chance. That was his last year of high school, last final, last championship. And he'd lost. Seungsik knew it was only fair, no one can always win and Seungwoo himself had asked him not to hold back — something Seungsik wouldn't have done anyway — but he still couldn't help feeling sad for him.

“It's not that.”, he corrected, though, and Seungsik's eyebrows instantly furrowed in confusion. Until he decided to explain further: “We can't be together anymore. The bet, remember?”, and he felt like laughing again. Thing he would have surely done, hadn't Seungwoo's voice tone been so heartbreakingly sad.

“Seungwoo, it was just a joke. Why did you take it so seriously?”, he whispered, watching the other captain's mouth agape. “Do you really wanted to be my boyfriend _that_ bad?”

It was Seungsik's turn to make fun of him, and Seungwoo didn't seem to like that. “I hate you so much.”, he grumbled, averting his gaze from Seungsik's eyes and crossing his arms over his chest.

“No, you don't.” Seungsik corrected, reaching for Seungwoo and trying not to laugh at how red his face had become because of the embarassment he felt. “ _I_ don't.”, he whispered against one of his ears, and Seungwoo instantly looked like he felt better.

“You love me, then?”, he asked, circling Seungsik's waist with one of his hands, his plump lips curved in one of his usual mischievious smiles.

Seungsik had feared that question for so long. He didn't know what he felt — did he hate Seungwoo? Did he love him? Did he simply like him? — he didn't want to think or talk about it. He was scared. Well, not anymore. “I do.”, he declared, his voice tone laced with pride. He had, in fact, never felt more _proud_ of himself. The whole experience had been terrifying, but he actually managed to get out of his shell and find his real self, in the end. Looking at Seungwoo's smile, Seungsik couldn't help but think about how worth it had all been.

“I love you too.”, he said, and only a few seconds later, they were kissing. “So, baby... Can I be your boyfriend, can I?”

Seungsik laughed and looked for Seungwoo's face, latching his hands against his soft cheeks. He was ‘proposing’ again, making sure everything had come full circle, and Seungsik never felt happier. “Hell yeah.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on twitter for updates regarding new stories! @JAYBAEAOM  
> or ask me stuff on cc: https://curiouscat.me/lenalee_ebbasta


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